Company News

Deployments

Edited by Brad Randall, Broadband Communities

Race Communications has begun building a fiber-optic network in Bakersfield, the company announced, a move that it says will extend high-speed, future-proof internet to more than 50,000 homes and businesses across the city.

Construction on the network is underway, and Race expects the first Bakersfield customers to be connected by the end of summer 2026. Once complete, the company says households and businesses will have access to symmetrical speeds up to 10 gigabits per second and join “more than half” of Kern County that is already on Race’s all-fiber network.

“As a quickly evolving city and the economic heart of Kern County, Bakersfield deserves infrastructure that can support its long-term growth,” said Jim Miller, Race’s vice president of government affairs. “We’re proud to build on the strong foundation we’ve established across the region and bring residents and businesses in the county seat the speed, reliability, and choice they need to thrive in a connected future.”

Race is pitching the build as a way to increase consumer choice and customer service by bringing a “true fiber infrastructure” to Bakersfield. The company, founded in 1994 and based in California, says it now serves more than 50 markets in the state and has invested over $650 million in its all-fiber network, with another $200 million planned for 2026.

Residents and businesses interested in construction updates or pre-sale service sign-ups were directed to the company website.

Some AI tools assisted in the crafting of this report.

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